The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-21
A STARTLING SUICIDE.
Lieut.. John W. Danenhower, of Arctic Fame,
Sends Bullet Through His Brain.

ANNAPOLIS, Nd, April 20-Lieutenant John
W. Danenhower. of Arctic fame, was discovered
at 10 o'clock this morning, dead. in his quarters
at the Naval Academy. with bullet-hoe in his
right temple. He was lying on the rug in front
of his fireplace. with tag tied to his button
hole saying. ''Send to my brother in Washing
ton" Although he has had mental troubles
since he returned from the Artic regions, what
Immediately lsd to the suicide is thought to
have been the recent grounding of the Constella-
tion on its way to Norfolk, which he had charge
of, and for which, it is supposed, he had fear
of being courtmArtialed. Furthermore, he was
very intimate with young Robert w. Gatewood,
who recently committed suicide on the Carolina,
and whom he saw in death. 1t is supposed that
this death suggested the mode to him. His wife,
formerly Miss Sloan, Of New York, is away with
her parents. Lieutenant Danenhower leaves
two children He was about thirty-fve years
old and an intelligent and polished officer.
w. W. Danenhower, father of the Lieutenant,
said, in conversation. tonight, that his son was
treated for melanchola about fifteen years ago,
and speedily recovered Since then there has
never been, to his knowledge, any appearance or
apprehension of any mental unsoundness in him
until to-day. The remains of Danenhower will
pe taken to Washington tomorrow for burial
Lieutenant Danenhower's career was eventful,
and his sufferings on the Inflated Jeanette arc
tic expedition are even now fresh In the public
mind. He was born about thirty seven years
ago. in Illinois, and entered the naval service in
1866. He was attached to the United States
steamer Vandalia during her cruise in the Med
iterranean. in 1851 when General Grant,
with his family was on board, and visited the
Holy Land. 1t was before this cruise that the
Lieutenant through his conduct began to show
signs of an unbalanced mind, and his malady
soon assumed form violent that in the year
1875 after he had been found wandering in a
North Carolina wilderness. his friends deemed it
expediens to secure proper treatment for him by
confning him for about two months in St. Eliza
bsth's Insane Asylum, near Washington He
was one among the first of the officers who vol
un.eered to 60 upon the Jeanette arctic expe-
ditlon sent out by James Gordon Bennett On
July 8, 1873, the Jeannette sailed from San
Francisco north polar expedition, by way
of Behring's strait. The expedition was under
the ccmmnad of Lieutenant-commander George
w. DeLong, assisted by Lieutenants Chipp
and Danenhower and Chief engineer Melville
The last communication from the vessel was
dated Cape Sertze Kamen, Siberia, Sept 2, 1879.
although she was afterward seen off Wrangel
Land, in about II degrees north latitude. The
crushing OF the Jeannette in the pack ice; the
separation in gale of the three boats contain
ing the officers and crew; the starvation of Com.
mander DeLong and his boats crew; the loss Of
Lieutenant Chips boat and the terrible suffer
iugs and final rescue of Melville's party mat
ters of history. In the final separation of the
boats, DeLopg placed Danenhower under Mel.
ville's command, for the reason, as the Leuten-
ant said in his report, that he was partially dis
abled by the condition of his eyes. Naval off,
GERS, however, maintain that it was TO Danen
hower's fine seamanship and skillful handling
OF the whale boat. Notwithstanding his partia
blindness. that the safe landing of the crew was
due. Melville and Danenhower were the only
surviving officers of the expedition. When Lieu
tenant Dauenhower returned to the United
In 1852 he was placed on waiting orders during
the progress of the official inquiry into the los
OF the Jeannette, and was afterwards granted
years leave OF absence During this time he de
livered a number of lectures in different parts o
the country.
He was married in New York, while on leav
of absence, and leaves widow and two chill
dren. In September, 1884 he was assigned I,
duty at Annapolis assistant commandant o
cadets, which station he held at the time Of hi
death. A few days ago he was at Norfolk, Va.
looking after the equipment of the practice shi
Constellation, and it is now recalled By officer
who met him at the navy-yard that he was YER
morose and dstraught. ard the opinion wa
freely expressed that he was suffering from a
attack of his old malady. Not the sliehtes
doubt is felt at the Navy Department of his in
sanity when ne committed the act that cause
mis- death. He was very happy in oil his DE-
mestic relations, and his future prospects wer
OF the brightest